Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr said he was eager to see works on Hammond Avenue begin while also asking motorists to remain patient during the upgrade. Photo: Dr Joe McGirr Facebook.
It is no secret that Wagga Wagga’s Hammond Avenue has become a talking point of safety concerns and the location of several accidents.
The NSW Government has announced it will invest $14 million to address these concerns, upgrading 2 kilometres of road on Wagga’s eastern section of the Sturt Highway.
The first stage of this project – between Tasman and Blaxland roads – will start on Tuesday, 4 March, and is expected to take 11 weeks to complete.
The second stage – from east of Blaxland Road to Stuart Road – is pledged to be delivered in the 2025-26 financial year.
“These works, coupled with the work now underway to redevelop the Marshalls Creek Bridge, are welcome improvements that will deliver a safer, smoother Sturt Highway for thousands of users every day,” Independent Member for Wagga Wagga Dr Joe McGirr said.
“The works will cause some disruption so I appreciate the patience of residents and motorists during a construction process that will cause inconvenience but will also deliver improvements that have been identified as important to the community.
“A renewed east/west link means better travel for local business and residents, and moving forward, I’ll also be advocating for major north/south improvements, including a second river crossing, which will be critical to Wagga Wagga’s future.”
Dr McGirr said he was frequently made aware of public concerns over the highway’s condition and hoped that the new works, along with a handful of other projects, would provide the solutions.
In addition to the work on Hammond Avenue, the Sturt Highway will be the subject of several other approved works in the next couple of years.
Plans to extend Marshalls Creek Bridge to four lanes, and Inland Rail’s plans to raise the height of the Edmondson Street Bridge to cater to multi-storey trains, are set to get underway in the next 12-18 months.
“The Sturt Highway provides a strategic freight and access link from Sydney via the Hume Highway to Mildura in Victoria and on to Adelaide in South Australia,” Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Jenny Aitchison said.
“It also serves as a local and regional access corridor to and from regional centres along the route, especially Wagga Wagga, to enable customers to access goods, services and employment.
“The NSW Government is pleased to be investing in building a better section of highway in Wagga Wagga and we want to thank the community in advance for its patience and understanding while this work is carried out for the long-term benefit of all who live, work and visit the area.”
Dr McGirr thanked Ms Aitchison for her office’s work in prioritising the condition of the Sturt Highway and said he was looking forward to seeing the thoroughfare operating once the upgrades were completed.
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